Born to Swiss and English parents and growing up in Northern England, Raphaela did her undergraduate at Oxford Brookes University where she was awarded a first class honours degree and was nominated and short listed for the RIBA President’s Medals. She moved to study her Masters at The Bartlett School of Architecture and upon graduation worked with Heatherwick Studio. One of her key projects there was a 60,000 square meter park for the royal family of Abu Dhabi – a project that was included in the Heatherwick ‘Best of British Exhibition’ at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Raphaela is an RIBA qualified architect and was admitted to the Architect’s Registration Board after working on an Intercontinental Hotel in the conservation area of Westminster – Central London. Raphaela worked under Lord Richard Rogers before co-founding A:RK with early commissions including a new build family home in the Norfolk Broads National Park and a concept school for Camphill Village Trust. A:RK have exhibited collections of their work internationally to include Bin Matar House, Bahrain; the Royal Academy of Art and the Barbican Centre, London.